From left to right, Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Johnson, and Matt Gaetz are seen at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, October 27, 2024. While Trump’s adversaries perceive the nominees as underqualified with questionable judgment, his supporters view them as mavericks chosen to revolutionize Washington. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
By MICHAEL CORKEY, ISABELLE TAFT and SHAWN HUBLER
To those opposing him, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s Cabinet resembles a collection of individuals with questionable qualifications and dubious judgment.
However, his backers have a contrasting view.
“It’s a work of art,” remarked Eileen Margolis, 58, a tattoo shop owner from Weston, Florida, regarding Trump’s Cabinet choices announced over the last week. “If it were a canvas, it would be a Picasso.”
Joanne Warwick, 60, a former Democrat from Detroit, referred to the nominees as a “brilliant coalition.”
“It’s essentially a cast of stars,” said Judy Kanoui, a retiree and lifelong Democrat from Flat Rock, North Carolina, who cast her vote for Trump for the first time this month.
Concerns among Democrats, as well as some Republicans, center on the inexperience, conflicts, and potential recklessness of these nominees for top government roles. Yet, in conversations with nearly two dozen Trump supporters nationwide, they predominantly characterized these individuals as mavericks and reformers brought in to fulfill Trump’s commitment to upheave Washington.
Regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the designated health and human services secretary, Trump’s advocates perceive a champion seeking innovative remedies for chronic health issues rather than a conspiracy theorist disseminating discredited notions about vaccines and fluoride.
As for Matt Gaetz, named attorney general, many of Trump’s supporters overlook the ethical scrutiny concerning accusations of a relationship with a 17-year-old and potential violations of federal sex trafficking laws, viewing him instead as an instigator prepared to retaliate against Democrats who they believe wrongfully prosecuted the president-elect.
“It’s utterly insane, and I love it,” declared Merrill McCollum, 60, from Bozeman, Montana, in reference to the nominees.
McCollum shared that her decision to vote for Trump stemmed from dissatisfaction with bureaucracy, identity politics, and the rising cost of living. She is enthusiastic about his choices of individuals she regards as outsiders to Washington, D.C., a place she became acquainted with during her naval intelligence service.
“What we’ve done before clearly hasn’t worked,” she added.
Not everyone is in favor of every nominee. Some expressed concerns that Gaetz, a controversial figure across party lines, might serve as an unnecessary distraction and questioned his potential for confirmation. Others felt the Cabinet could be more anti-establishment, citing Marco Rubio, the Florida senator selected as secretary of state.
Brian Kozlowski, a 40-year-old attorney in Orlando, Florida, stated that despite Trump’s substantial victory, he held modest expectations for his candidate’s capacity to instigate enduring change in Washington. Yet, the Cabinet appointments have instilled hope in him.
“This is a tangible sign of a politician breaking away from tradition,” remarked Kozlowski.
“The top priority for me, and many Trump supporters, is eliminating the swamp,” he continued. “What’s startling to some is that it might actually be occurring.”
Among the nominees most admired in conversations was Kennedy, who frequently discusses tackling the increase in chronic health problems.
Numerous health professionals express alarm over Kennedy’s unfounded assertions linking vaccines to autism and his threats to sue medical journals and terminate hundreds of workers at the National Institutes of Health. They worry that, as health secretary, he could reverse decades of effective public health policy.
Nonetheless, Trump supporters commend Kennedy’s emphasis on environmental toxins and his divergence from his well-known family due to his unconventional viewpoints.
Warwick stated, “I’d wager there are plenty of people quaking in their boots” concerning Kennedy’s appointment.
However, she also mentioned that Democrats might find some of his policies appealing.
More than any other stance, Kennedy’s critique of vaccines resonated strongly with Trump’s base, many of whom expressed ongoing frustration over mandates and the lockdowns implemented during the pandemic. They attribute these to President Joe Biden, not Trump, who was in office when the pandemic began.
The greater the backlash against the Cabinet nominees, Trump supporters asserted, the more it indicates that Washington is apprehensive about change.
Donna Hutz, 60, from Hubbard, Ohio, conveyed her satisfaction with each appointment revealed thus far, especially Gaetz, a former Florida congressman who resigned last week following Trump’s nomination announcement. Hutz believes the accusations against Gaetz are unfounded, which amplifies her enthusiasm for his success.
The Biden administration’s Justice Department chose not to pursue charges in the matter, and House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated he opposed sharing a report regarding an ethics committee investigation into the allegations since Gaetz had already resigned.
“It’s not about what he did, it’s about what was done to him,” stated Hutz, a portfolio manager in the information technology sector.
She expressed that the criticism toward some of Trump’s appointments did not catch her off guard, as she believes his opponents have been misled by the media.
“They’re losing their minds, and I’m reveling in it,” Hutz remarked concerning Trump’s critics.
Some individuals voiced concerns that the Cabinet might not act swiftly enough to resolve conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. Cole Graham, 30, criticized the nominations of Rubio and Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host appointed to lead the Pentagon.
Graham, a resident of Arizona, described these choices as “too aggressive towards war.”
“I do not support further expansion of Israel into Gaza or the West Bank,” he remarked. “I was hoping we could take a step back.”
Numerous Muslim voters supported Trump in protest against the Biden administration’s unwavering backing of Israel amid its conflict with Hamas.
Among these voters, Khaled Saffuri, a Palestinian American from Fairfax County, Virginia, expressed concerns that Rubio is “unwaveringly pro-Israel.” However, Saffuri believes that if Trump upholds his campaign promises, he will intervene to end the war.
“I didn’t anticipate he would appoint saints,” said Saffuri, 65, who leads a foundation focused on foreign policy matters.
